There are many industrial needs for an apparatus to separate solid particles from liquid. The apparatus as described in this disclosure is intended to meet these needs but it is particularly adaptable for use in separating metal chips and shavings from coolant liquid.
A unique and effective apparatus for accomplishing these results is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,820 issued to E. P. Lohmann Sept. 24, 1968 and entitled "MAGNETIC CLEANER FOR COOLANT." The apparatus disclosed in this patent has a tube with a helix rotated in it. At the lower end of the tube are magnets. The tube has an inlet opening above the magnets and a liquid outlet opening below them. Liquid is introduced and flows downwardly past the magnets and out the lower end. Paramagnetic particles are attracted by the magnets and picked up by the rotating helix which moves them upwardly to a discharge opening in the upper end of the tube. The device of this patent works successfully except for three basic problems which in some instances interfere with the fullest commercial utilization of the concept. The first problem with the device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,820 is that it is usable only when the solid particles are of a paramagnetic nature, that is, are attracted by the permanent magnets affixed to the lower end. The device is not usable for machine coolant in which aluminum, brass, or other heavy nonparamagnetic metals are entrained. Second, the device does not provide a settling zone wherein solid components have an opportunity to settle out of the liquid so as to be picked up by the helix. Third, large metal objects, including large cuttings, or even bolts or nuts which may be occasionally dropped into the coolant circulation system, can be trapped between the helix and the tube and there is no readily available way for removing them.
The present apparatus is directed toward an improvement means of separating solid contaminants from liquid and specifically cuttings from machine tool coolant, which overcomes the problems and limitations of U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,820 and other similar type devices.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for separating solids from liquids. More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating metal cuttings from machine coolant.
Still more particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating cuttings from machine coolant including an upwardly inclined housing having a rotating helix therein, means at the lower end of the housing providing a quiescent settling zone from which solid particles may be separated and passed into the lower portion of the housing to be picked up by the helix for discharge out the upper end of the housing so as to provide a means of separating all types of solids, whether paramagnetic or not.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for separating cuttings from machine coolant arranged so that solid objects cannot become lodged or jammed within the machine.
These general objects, as well as other and more specific objects of the invention will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.